DearSusan takes its name from Susan Sontag's On Photography — a book that never told you what camera to buy, but permanently changed the way the world thinks about images. That's been our inspiration since 2009.

The site was founded by Pascal Jappy, soon (more than) helped by Philber and Paul Perton. Over the years more than forty photographers from across the world have contributed — writing about forgotten battlefields, moss gardens, the philosophy of shadows, the question of whether street photography can ever be an act of care rather than theft. Posts that start somewhere specific and end somewhere unexpected.

Photography, to us, is about more than cameras. It is about technique, certainly — but also about awakening the eye, understanding ourselves, the discipline of printing, the generosity of sharing work and receiving an honest response. The discussion that happens around a photograph matters as much as the photograph itself.

Depth, not virality. That has always been the position.

New posts appear on this site regularly. Most of the archive now lives on Substack at Letters to Susan. New contributors are always welcome. If you have something that might awaken curiosity in another photographer, write to us.